E3 2020 Still Moving Ahead Despite Coronavirus Concerns, State Of Emergency In LA

The city of Los Angeles has officially declared a state of emergency in the wake of new cases of COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus, that have been reported in the city that is home to E3 every year. In response to this, the organizers of E3 have released a statement that reiterates what was said earlier: the show is still planned to go forward in June as scheduled. [Update: The ESA has canceled E3 2020 because of the coronavirus.]

"The health and safety of our attendees, exhibitors, partners, and staff is our top priority. While the ESA continues to plan for a safe and successful E3 show June 9-11, 2020--we are monitoring and evaluating the situation daily," the statement from the Entertainment Software Association reads.

The E3 planning team, and its partners, are monitoring the information about the virus supplied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. Additionally, E3 2020 will feature increased efforts to reduce the risk of health risks.

In another statement, the ESA outlined a number of precautions that it advises E3 attendees to follow, including washing hands for at least 20 seconds, avoiding contact with people known to be sick, and avoiding using handshakes or cheek-kissing as greetings. Instead, attendees are advised to fist bump or touch each other on the elbow as a greeting.

The Los Angeles Convention Center, the site of E3, will include additional hand-sanitizing stations, while the cleaning staff will clean and disinfect surfaces more frequently. On top of that, the convention center will "enhance" its ability to offer help to people who become ill.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles County announced six additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 51 cases in the state of California.

E3 is a global show that attracts developers, business executives, and media from around the world to report on the latest news about video games. Some international game companies are prohibiting developers from travelling, so even if E3 does go forward as planned, attendance could be impacted.

Even before the coronavirus situation, E3 2020 was looking to be a different type of show. PlayStation decided not to attend for the second year in a row, while Geoff Keighley will also miss E3 for the first time in 25 years. Since 2017, Keighley has hosted the E3 Coliseum, a fan-focused showcase that delved into the making of the biggest games on show.

Microsoft is still planning to come to E3 in a big way this year as it will show off more of Halo Infinite and hype the Xbox Series X ahead of its release later this year.